A recipe for Ti-Malice, a popular Caribbean hot sauce originating from Haiti, typically made with Scotch Bonnet chili peppers. It has an interesting origin story in Haitian folklore and has many variations. This is one of my favorite ways to make it.
Ti-Malice Recipe (Haitian Creole Hot Sauce)
It's time for more hot sauce, my friends! We keep running out of hot sauce in the fridge, so I need to constantly replenish the stock. You know how we are with our hot sauce recipes. Can't help myself! Today we're going Caribbean style, Haitian in particular, because I acquired some amazing Scotch Bonnet peppers.
These are Scotch Bonnet Freeport Orange peppers. They are very fruity chiles with a habanero level heat, so use accordingly.
They will surely bring you a beautiful spice level!
While the taste is excellent, what I love most about this hot sauce is the story behind it. Haiti is rich in folklore, particularly with two famous characters who are the antithesis of one another - Ti-Malice and Bouki.
The Folkore Behind Ti-Malice Hot Sauce - The Real Story
According to the story, Ti-Malice and Bouki are two great friends that are constantly at odds.
Ti-Malice is a witty trickster character, while his nemesis, Bouki, is hardworking but somewhat greedy. Ti-Malice would prepare himself meat for his lunch each day, and each day Bouki would "just so happen" to appear at Ti-Malice's home around that time, obligating Ti-Malice to share his meal.
One day, in order to outsmart Bouki and deter him from wanting his food, Ti-Malice prepares a very hot sauce and pours it over the meat. It backfired, however, as Bouki LOVED the hot sauce so much and even bragged all over town about the oustanding hot sauce Ti-Malice made just for him.
Hence, the name of the sauce "Ti-Malice", which is still popular today.
Let's talk about how to make Ti-Malice! Mike's way!
Ti-Malice Ingredients
The full list of ingredients with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Onion.
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers. Or you can use habanero peppers.
- Bell Peppers. Or use other sweet peppers.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Tomato Paste.
- Lemon Juice.
- Apple Cider Vinegar.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
- Water. To thin out your hot sauce.
How to Make Ti-Malice Hot Sauce
Cook the Vegetables. Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add oil. Add onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook another minute.
Simmer the Hot Sauce. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
Process Until Smooth. Cool then transfer to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Adjust for salt and pepper. Transfer to bottles for keeping. Enjoy!
Boom! Done! Your Hatian creole hot sauce is ready to serve. Spice it up, my friends! Drizzle this over anything and everything. So good!
Recipe Tips & Notes
Ti-Malice Varieties. There are many variations of this recipe, as you can imagine. Each household makes their own version. The ingredients I've used in our sauce are typical, but other variations include the addition of herbs like thyme or parsley, cloves, chicken broth, tomatoes, and other chili peppers like habaneros.
Some variations replace the hotter peppers, like habanero and Scotch Bonnet, with milder peppers to reduce the heat. You can easily do this yourself if you'd like to tame the flame.
Also, many variations do not process their sauce, but rather serve it in a bowl with a chunky consistency. I prefer it processed so it will serve more as a hot sauce that I can pour.
The choice is yours! I hope you enjoy the recipe. Serve it over meats, such as chicken or fish.
Frequently Asked Hot Sauce Questions
Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get on other sauces:
Storage - How Long Does This Hot Sauce Last?
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It's all about the acidity. To be technical, target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 4.0 or so, to account for errors. If you're concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer.
The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.
Where'd you get that sauce bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. Here is a link to some bottles I like (affiliate link, my friends!): Swing Top Glass Bottles, 8.5 Ounce - Set of 4
. If you like the smaller bottles that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles, 5 Oz - 24 Pack
.
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?
Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
Hot Sauce Serving Suggestions
Aside from drizzling it over anything you please, here's a post I created about How to Cook with Hot Sauce. As if you need even MORE reasons to eat hot sauce. I hope you find it helpful!
Check out These Related Recipes:
- Sweet Habanero Chili Sauce
- Pineapple-Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Caribbean Style Hot Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Ti-Malice - Haitian Creole Hot Sauce - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 Scotch Bonnet peppers or 2 habanero peppers, chopped
- ½ small red bell pepper or sweet pepper chopped
- 3 garlic clove chopped
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1 cups water or more as desired
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan to medium heat and add oil. Add onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Add remaining ingredients and bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes.
- Cool then transfer to a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
- Adjust for salt and pepper. Transfer to bottles for keeping. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 8/11/23 to include new information, photos, and video. It was originally published on 10/28/16.
Esther says
Love it! It's not super spicy though, but perhaps that's because our scotch bonnets weren't too big. I should have made double (triple, quadruple) batch.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Esther! Yes, some peppers can vary in heat. I appreciate it!
Lori says
This was so good I doubled the recipe. Once my husband tasted it I had to make another double batch. BTW I doubled the amount of peppers.
Recipe ideas. Shrimp tosses in this sauce, seared until just done served on top of white rice with more sauce on the side.
Mike H. says
Love the idea and appreciate the review. Thanks, Lori!
Mike says
PHENOMENAL!! One of my faves. I make it in bulk as my 2 plants produced well over 100 habs, and I gift the jars to friends and family. EVERYONE loves it. Tasty and spicy. Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Mike! I love it! Glad to be helpful!!
Travis says
I made this sauce 100% using your measurements and ingredients and absolutely loved it. I had it in the DR years ago and have been meaning to try to make my own. Keep the recipes coming!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Thanks, Travis! Glad to hear it! I appreciate it.
Jesse says
This immediately became a must have in my culinary world. I had been wanting to make this for a while, and my daughter made it. Just wow! Took a 12 ounce bottle of it to work, and came home with about 4 ounces left. The crew DESTROYED it! Had to make another batch tonight just to try to keep pace. On behalf of myself and a 8 man team, thank you for this one. This is just flat out good sauce!
I have been making hot sauces for a while now, was just surprised with this one. Good things in life can be few and far between, so thank you sir, for a good day, and a good lunch. They are a good team and deserve good things, you helped provide that. Salute.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks SO MUCH, Jesse! Comments like this make my week! My year! Seriously happy it was enjoyed by so many. I appreciate it!
Dave says
Made Ti-Malice again today. Not sure if I left a review last time. Fantastic recipe!! Great flavor. I use my fermented scotch bonnet peppers. I used 3 in today’s batch (versus the 2 called for in the recipe). This is a little too hot for most people. Will back off to peppers for the next batch
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Thanks, Dave! This is a favorite of mine as well. =)